What is the difference between Leadership and Management?

Naked Leader Week – 241 – Monday 21st January 2008

Leadership from a different perspective – Yours

What is the difference between Leadership and Management?

 This is one of the most frequent questions I am asked, one of the most often debated topics, and, let’s be honest with each other, absolutely critical issues in life, careers and success.

OK – Three step, fast-track, definitive answer:

Step One

On an A4 piece of paper, draw a vertical line down the centre – on the left hand side, write the heading “Leadership” and on the right hand side, write the heading “Management.”

Note: Whether you write both with a capital letter – or whether you believe that one deserves a capital letter, and the other does not, is not relevant at this stage.

Step Two

On the left hand side:

Write down the top five skills you associate with the word “leadership”

Are your “answers” correct? – See under Step Three

And, on the right hand side:

Write down the top five skills you associate with the word “management”

Are your “answers” correct? – See under Step Three

Step Three

Think about your biggest dream – setting a standard for yourself higher than anyone else can ever reasonably expect from you. This can be for yourself, for a loved one, for your team or for your organisation.

Make a true decision, to yourself, that you will achieve your dream, and that nothing will get in your way from doing so.

Identify, again, in your mind only, a first action to take – and take it as soon as possible. If it takes you closer to achieving your dream, do more of the same. If not, then do something else.

Oh yes…and your answers are correct, so well done…

Because whether your ambition comes under leadership or management, is irrelevant. Whether your true decision takes a skill that you label leadership or management, does not matter. And most importantly, whether the first action you take is as a leader or as a manager, will make no difference whatsoever, to anything.

Jargon is for academics…labels are for food items – action is all.

With love to you all from The Naked Leader / Manager

David

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